1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a disk device which can load information recording media of different types on a turntable and eject the information recording media from the turntable. Such information recording media may include an MD (Mini Disk) for example which is stored in a cartridge or a CD (Compact disk) which is used as a single disk.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIGS. 1 and 2 are schematic lateral figures of a loading device which is disclosed in for example JP-A-8-87796. FIG. 3 is a similar schematic plan figure. In FIGS. 1 and 2, reference numeral 400 denotes a disk which is a circular information recording medium, 401 is a cartridge in which an information recording medium 401a is stored, 399 is an insertion aperture of a cartridge 401 or a disk 400 provided in the front face of the device. 410 is a first roller the surface of which is formed by a high friction elastic member such as rubber, and which rotates bi-directionally in the direction of the arrow 410A or 410B about a fixed shaft 410a. 420 is a second roller the surface of which is formed by a high friction elastic member such as rubber, and which rotates bi-directionally in the direction of the arrow 420A or 420B about a fixed shaft 420a. 423 is a second guiding body which is supported in free rotation about a fixed shaft 423a. 421 is a second guiding face which is provided on the second guiding body 423 and which has low frictional resistance due to the provision of a resin coating or the like. 422 is a second contacting means one end of which is fixed and the other end of which is compressed so that the second guiding face 421 of the second guiding body 423 is pressed onto the second roller 420. 413 is a first guiding body which is provided on the second guiding body 423 and which is supported in free rotation about an shaft 413a. 411 is a first guiding face which is provided on a first guiding body 413 and which has low frictional resistance due to the provision of a resin coating or the like. 412 is a first contacting means one end of which is fixed to the second guiding body 423 and the other end of which is compressed so that the first guiding face 411 of the first guiding body 413 is pressed onto the first roller 410. 424 is a cam which is normally pressed onto the second guiding body 423 by the second contacting means 422. The cam 424 supports the second guiding body 423 by rotational movement so that the second guiding body 423 is supported in two positions, one high and one low. 301 is a head chassis which is supported in free rotation about an enlarging central shaft 301a. 310 is a head which performs recording and playing of the disk 400 or the information recording medium 401a stored in the cartridge 401. 311 is a guide shaft which is fixed at both ends to the head chassis 301. The guide shaft 311 supports the head 310 and guides the head 310 through sliding motion in the direction of the arrow 310A or 310B. 312 is a disk motor which is identified with the head chassis 301. 313 is a turntable which is fixed to a rotational axis of the disk motor 312 and which is provided with a magnetic plate 313a on its upper face. 302 is a clamp arm which is supported to be rotatable about the enlarging central shaft 301a. 321 is a clamp which is supported to be rotatable about the clamp arm 302 and which is provided on the lower face of the magnetic plate 321a. 330 is a sensor which is disposed in proximity to an insertion aperture 399 and which detects a cartridge 401 or a disk 400. 331 is a sensor which detects a recording/playing position of a disk 400 at the innermost position of the device. 428 is a cartridge stopper which determines a recording/playing position of a cartridge 401.
With reference to FIG. 3, 415 is a disk position determining arm which is supported to be rotatable about a fixed shaft 415a. 416 is a disk position determining pin (stopper member) which is fixed to the distal rotational end of the disk position determining arm 415 and which extends downwardly to a height which obstructs the carrying path of the disk 400. 417 is a compression means which provides pressure so that the disk position determining pin 416 rotates the disk positioning arm 415 in the direction of the arrow 415A so that it separates from the positioned disk 400. 425 is a disk position release arm which is supported to be rotatable about a fixed shaft 425a. The bent section 425b on the rotating distal end and is bent to a position which extends downwardly to a height which obstructs the carrying path of the cartridge 401 but which does not obstruct the carrying path of the disk 400. 426 is a disk position release pin which is fixed on the disk position release arm 425 and which extends to a height which abuts with the disk position determining arm 415. 427 is a pressing means which is compressed so that the disk position releasing arm 425 is rotated in the direction of the arrow 425A. The disk position releasing arm 425 is held by the compression means 427 against the edge of the hole 1126 in which the disk position releasing pin 426 is fixed. The disk position determining arm 415 is secured to a fixed position abutting against the disk position release pin 426 by the pressure of the compression means 417. When a carried disk 400 abuts with and is stopped by the disk position determining pin 416, recording and playing of the disk 400 is performed in that position by the head 310.
The operation of the conventional disk device will now be explained.
When a disk 400 is inserted into this disk device, the disk 400 is tightly gripped between the first roller 410 and the first guide face 411 by the first contacting means 412. The disk 400 is carried to a fixed position in the disk device by the rotations of a first roller 410. When a cartridge 401 is inserted, the cartridge 401 is tightly gripped between the second roller 420 and the second guide face 421 by the second contacting means 422. The cartridge 401 is carried to a fixed position in the disk device by the rotations of a second roller 420. In particular, while the disk 400 is carried, the second roller 420 and the second guide face 421 are removed from the disk carrying path. In the same way, while a cartridge 401 is being carried, the first roller 410 and the first guide face 411 are removed from the cartridge carrying path.
Since a conventional disk device is constructed as above, both first and second rollers are necessary to respectively carry a disk and a cartridge. Therefore, problems have arisen regarding increases in the complexity of the structure and reduced reliability.
The present invention is proposed to solve the above problems and has the object of providing a disk device with improved reliability and a simplified structure which can be used with any information recording media which is used by storage in a cartridge such as an MD or an information recording media which is used as a single disk such as a CD.
The disk device of the present invention comprises a circular disk carrying device which has a carrying roller for performing the loading and ejection of a circular disk, and a cartridge carrying device which is provided with a holder for supporting a cartridge, said cartridge carrying device loading a disk storing cartridge when the cartridge is inserted in the holder by the displacement of a carrying arm which comprises one part of a linking structure, which places a loaded disk stored in a cartridge on a turntable and which ejects a disk stored in a cartridge from a turntable.
In this way, it is possible to use circular disks or disk storing cartridges of differing sizes and to perform the loading and ejection of the respective disks with a relatively simple structure and with high reliability.
The disk device of the present invention has a CD guide which guides a circular disk which is carried by a carrying roller from its upper side and in which an MD holder is disposed in a position in which it forms part of said CD guide.
In this way, it is possible to integrate the MD holder and the CD guide and reduce the width of the device.
A disk device according to the present invention disposes an MD holder in a central section of the CD guide and divides the CD guide on both sides of the MD holder.
In this way, it is possible to integrate the MD holder and the CD guide and reduce the width of the device.
In a disk device according to the present invention, the lower face of an MD holder is adapted to act as part of a CD guide when a CD is carried.
In this way, the carrying of a circular disk may be stabilized and it is possible to effectively avoid accidents which damage the disk.
A disk device according to the present invention comprises an MD insertion mouth screen, into which a cartridge which stores a circular disk is inserted and which acts as a displaceable base for an MD insertion mouth for inserting a disk into an MD holder, and an MD holder aperture enlarging mechanism which enlarges the MD holder aperture into which a cartridge is inserted by the force which acts on the MD insertion mouth screen when the screen is rotated by the insertion of a cartridge.
As a result, the insertion of circular disks stored in a cartridge such as an MD into the MD holder is facilitated and user-friendliness is improved.
The disk device of the present invention allows the aperture of the MD holder to be enlarged as the MD holder aperture enlargement mechanism displaces downwardly by rotating the lower face of the aperture of the MD holder.
This arrangement facilitates the insertion of a disk stored in a cartridge such as an MD into an MD holder and increases user-friendliness.